And, whoever mentioned Blake kinda starting the arrangement thing, I apologize – I said David Cook. I didn’t watch much of Blake’s season, but you’re probably right.

You know what is sad, how come there arenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t any women on this list?

One word: Fantasia

I just think ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s been taken too far the past couple of years such that more subtle and nuanced interpretations were getting overlooked more often.

I agree… it seems like you have to radically change a song for it to be considered good or as Kara says… to show “artistry.” Because you know, good singing is not enough artistry in a singing competition.

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Making it her ownà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  is not her problem, IMO.

No, because she is making the songs her own–she just never gets any credit for doing that. She should, IMO.

About 90% of the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“artistsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  selling records today would beg to differ. It hasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t been about the voice on the pop charts for a long time.

Sure but that’s not my point. What I’m saying is that whatever “coolness” that masked their limitations that Idols like Blake had cannot really transcend to their debut albums. So without that, they’d just be left with the things that really couldn’t have helped them at all on Idol.

I said that interpretation was a good. I just think ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s been taken too far the past couple of years such that more subtle and nuanced interpretations were getting overlooked more often. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the degree I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t like.

I understood you, I just don’t agree. I think plenty of subtle and nuanced interpretations got praised this year. I think some radical re-arrangements got slammed as well. I just don’t think all can be blamed on re-arranging things. It has become a “new” element of the show in the sense that it has become added to the repretorie of things contestants can do to make a song their own or make it sound fresh. But it is not the only way to approach a song that gets attention. At least not in my opinion.

I am not an Adam fan, but he is getting praise to me because he has the most control over his voice and an exciting performance style. The guy is damn near pitch perfect. Arrangments add to the story with him, but that is not all he has going for him IMO. Allison I LOVE, but she mumbles and is not really connecting well. She’s also a little one-note. She has great phrasing and phenomenal raw talent. But I would never say she’s suffering because she hasn’t rearranged anything. “Making it her own” is not her problem, IMO.

I think yà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢all are making way too much out of the arrangement thing.

I said that interpretation was a good. I just think it’s been taken too far the past couple of years such that more subtle and nuanced interpretations were getting overlooked more often. It’s the degree I don’t like.

all he has left is his poor vocals and thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not enough to sell records.

About 90% of the “artists” selling records today would beg to differ. It hasn’t been about the voice on the pop charts for a long time.

All the arranging thing does is show you know your voice and know how to showcase it properly. People do not get props for any old arrangement (or else, Kristy Lee Cook would be an AI goodess) they get props for consistently presenting themselves as a modern pop act and knowing what works for their voice/presentation. If you can do that with your voice alone you get kudos as well. Anoop, Kris, Allison… all got props this season for interpreting a song well. Kris got dissed last night because his arrangement DIDN’T work with his vibe or voice.

I think y’all are making way too much out of the arrangement thing.

My overall point wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t about imageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’it was about the regression of singing being far less important than perceived à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“artistryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  based on how out-there you can make your arrangements. What people think is original and artistic on Idol means almost nothing once the competition ends because the real music industry is nothing like Idol.

I kinda agree with this. Because it’s not like you can create a bunch of cool covers for your debut album. So in a way that “coolness” that you have by rearranging old songs into current music is lost with your debut album. That’s what killed Blake’s career IMO. He was “cool” because of his arrangements but post-Idol, all he has left is his poor vocals and that’s not enough to sell records.

No they havenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t. Everyone who has been successful post-idol has fit it. Sure, Jordin is overweight, but sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s stilll very pretty, and has a commercial voice. Kelly may be semi-plain, but she still looks enough like a pop star to pass. You canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t take Gokey and make him a pop star. Threà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a difference between a diamond in the rought (Allison, kris) and someone who doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t stand a chance(Gokey, Scott).

My overall point wasn’t about image–it was about the regression of singing being far less important than perceived “artistry” based on how out-there you can make your arrangements. What people think is original and artistic on Idol means almost nothing once the competition ends because the real music industry is nothing like Idol. Talent and hard work are far more important.

Anoop made à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“True Colorsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  fresh without messing a whole lot with the arrangementà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’a few changes here and there with the instrumentation and vocal changes. He interpreted the song rather than re-arranged the song. In other words, he made it his own simply by being true to his own style rather than some big change from the original.

soundscene, your entire post is worthy of quotes. Excellent observation. Also, what a great analysis about the whole arrangement thing with regards to Anoop. I loved his performance.

My suggestion for Lil is to do an opposite gender selection. Her choice of the top women in pop music has not produced an outstanding moment. As far as taking risks, my favorite female to do this was Nadia.

We did? Cook was good, but the most original contestant ever? I have to disagree. Two words: Bo Bice.

LOL I totally agree! Never really understood how the “most original idol evah!!!” was given to Cook when we have Bo and Blake who did it before Cook. And wasn’t Blake’s arrangement even an original? That’s more impressive. Never liked the guy (his voice is icky LOL) but he deserves the most kudos for arranging a song and making it his own. IMO of course.

The best singer hasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t won the competition since season 4, so I suppose ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a natural regression to make Idol about something other than singing (and image, ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s always been about image too). I just think theyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve taken things too far.

No they haven’t. Everyone who has been successful post-idol has fit it. Sure, Jordin is overweight, but she’s stilll very pretty, and has a commercial voice. Kelly may be semi-plain, but she still looks enough like a pop star to pass. You can’t take Gokey and make him a pop star. Thre’s a difference between a diamond in the rought (Allison, kris) and someone who doesn’t stand a chance(Gokey, Scott).

That happens with Adam this season just like it happened with Cook last season.

I have yet to hear one word from a single judge about how wonderful the “original” arrangement was concerning Adam. He sang Black and White pretty much straight, said he had found the arrangement for Ring of Fire on YouTube, Arranged TOMT on his own and was praised by the writer Smokey Robinson for doing it, credited Ricky and the band for the arrangement for PTFM, and didn’t have time nor was he asked about where he got the arrangement for Mad World. Adam has never taken credit for doing an original arrangement when he didn’t do it. Geesh!